Three small rooms were demolished to enable a new kitchen and open plan living space to be designed. The kitchen has a drop-down ceiling to delineate the space. A window became french doors to the garden. The former kitchen was re-designed as a mudroom. The laundry had new cabinetry. New flooring throughout. A linen cupboard was opened to become a study nook with dramatic wallpaper. Custom ottoman were designed and upholstered for the drop-down dining and study nook. A family of five now has a fantastically functional open plan kitchen/living space, family study area, and a mudroom for wet weather gear and lots of storage.

Storage Wall with Pantry and Coffee Station

MAK Design + Build Inc.

Photo of a transitional kitchen in Sacramento with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Natural Textures Throughout

Esslinger Design Company

Cabinets were updated with an amazing green paint color, the layout was reconfigured, and beautiful nature-themed textures were added throughout. The bold cabinet color, rich wood finishes, and warm metal tones featured in this kitchen are second to none! Cabinetry Color: Rainy Afternoon by Benjamin Moore Walls: Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore Island and shelves: Knotty Alder in "Winter" stain Photo credit: Picture Perfect House

Wellington

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

Design ideas for a large traditional galley open plan kitchen in Raleigh with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, quartzite benchtops, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop, exposed beam, green splashback and cement tile splashback.

Accessory Dwelling Unit | Saratoga | Glen Una

Brad Cox, Architect, Inc.

This generous kitchen was built for entertaining! As this ADU functions more like a pool house than a residence (and storage requirements are less important), the clients opted for open shelving and lots of windows in place of upper cabinetry. Stucco, wood and metal elements are features in Santa Barbara and Mediterranean styles.

Interior Kitchen Remodel - Itasca, IL

M J & B Contractors, Inc.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional l-shaped open plan kitchen in Chicago with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, white benchtop and a single-bowl sink.

Elegant Farmhouse

Terri Sears, Kitchen and Bath Designer

Expansive country galley open plan kitchen in Nashville with a farmhouse sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Modern Farmhouse

Jonathan Miller Architects

Mid-sized country l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Dark Blue Geometric Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

Shaker kitchen cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball Hague blue with antique brass knobs, pulls and catches. The worktop is Arabescato Corcia Marble. A wall of tall cabinets feature a double larder, double integrated oven and integrated fridge/freezer. A shaker double ceramic sink with polished nickel mixer tap and a Quooker boiling water tap sit in the perimeter run of cabinets with a Bert & May Majadas tile splash back topped off with a floating oak shelf. An induction hob sits on the island with three hanging pendant lights. Two moulded dark blue bar stools provide seating at the overhang worktop breakfast bar. The flooring is dark oak parquet. Photographer - Charlie O'Beirne

Kitchen

Hill Swift Architect, pllc

Mid-sized traditional galley eat-in kitchen in Houston with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, marble benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, dark hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

kitchen 130

Savvy Kitchens

Inspiration for a large country u-shaped open plan kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

The Highway, McKinnon.

eands

Photographer: Nikole Ramsay Stylist: Bask Interiors
This is an example of a modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island and brown floor.

Black Kitchen Collection By Darash

By Darash - Kitchen Cabinets, Vanities & Closets

Design ideas for a large modern l-shaped open plan kitchen in Austin with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, concrete benchtops, black splashback, cement tile splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and black benchtop.

Modern Evanston Farmhouse

Kitchen Design Partners, Inc.

Photo Credit: Jill Buckner Photography
Photo of a large country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Chicago with a single-bowl sink, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, grey benchtop, recessed-panel cabinets and cement tile splashback.

HGTV Modern Farmhouse Marine Blue Kitchen

SH interiors

We completely renovated this space for an episode of HGTV House Hunters Renovation. The kitchen was originally a galley kitchen. We removed a wall between the DR and the kitchen to open up the space. We used a combination of countertops in this kitchen. To give a buffer to the wood counters, we used slabs of marble each side of the sink. This adds interest visually and helps to keep the water away from the wood counters. We used blue and cream for the cabinetry which is a lovely, soft mix and wood shelving to match the wood counter tops. To complete the eclectic finishes we mixed gold light fixtures and cabinet hardware with black plumbing fixtures and shelf brackets.

Transitional Home Renovation in McCormick Ranch- Caine

Caine & Company

This is an example of a large transitional u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz benchtops, grey splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

NBC GEORGE TO RESCUE

Paul Lopa Designs

Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped eat-in kitchen in New York with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Dark Blue Geometric Kitchen

Sustainable Kitchens

A shaker kitchen island with the cabinets painted in Farrow & Ball Hague Blue with antique brass knobs and pulls. The worktop is Arabescato Corcia Marble. Two moulded dark blue bar stools provide seating at the overhang worktop breakfast bar. The flooring is dark oak parquet. Photographer - Charlie O'Beirne

Embrace the Space

Andersonville Kitchen & Bath

This kitchen designed by Andersonville Kitchen and Bath includes: Dura Supreme Custom Cabinetry in Hudson Shaker Door Style; color: Classic White. Countertops are: Caesarstone Symphony Grey. Our designer utilized customization options for the cabinetry to maximize this small space into a functional kitchen!

Rue du Cygne

WTF/A Architectes Associés

WTF/A Architectes Associés
Mid-sized contemporary single-wall open plan kitchen in Paris with an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, multi-coloured splashback, cement tile splashback, white appliances, light hardwood floors, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, no island and brown floor.

Kitchen with Cement Tile Splashback and Brown Floor Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!